If your kids are like most, their motivation to complete nightly schoolwork starts off strong and wobbles as the year progresses. Homework? They don’t want to do it. School projects? Bring on the grumbles. Reading ahead for next week’s assignment? Can’t be bothered.
If you’re running out of motivational speeches to give your kids on the fly, don’t worry. Below, teachers share their tips for what you can do to make sure your kids stay on top of homework, school projects, and reading all year long.
1. Create a Special Study Spot
Children are so easily distracted! Creating a designated space as a study area and keeping it as focus-friendly as possible can make all the difference, says Karen Baicker, Executive Director of the Yale Child Study Center–Scholastic Collaborative for Child & Family Resilience, and Publisher for Family and Community Engagement (FACE) at Scholastic Education Solutions.
“That space can be as simple as a screen-free area with a comfy spot to sit and a surface to write on,” she says.
Furnish the study spot with your child’s favorite school supplies (don’t forget a dictionary!).
“Having a variety of colored pens, markers, and fun pencils can also make homework fun,” says Melissa Miller, a 1st grade teacher in Tennessee.
2. Work Together to Learn
Children may have a difficult time sitting down to complete homework on their own. Maya Lê Espiritu, an elementary school teacher in California, suggests arranging a time in which you and your child work alongside one another, if possible.
“You don't have to be doing the homework with your child,” says Lê Espiritu. “Instead, have your own work or a book that you are reading, and model focusing and working hard on your task.”
You can also ask your child to teach you what they’re learning. “If they can teach the material, they are learning at a deeper level,” says Miller. “Tell your child that you would love to listen to them read while you are driving — instead of listening to the radio — or while you are cooking dinner.”
3. Get Up and Move!
To keep your child inspired during a long homework stretch, make sure they have the opportunity to get up and move around between tasks.
“Kids need movement,” Miller says. “You’ll find that homework time goes much faster when kids get their blood flowing.”
For every 10 to 15 minutes of homework, Miller suggests setting aside 1 to 3 minutes for a quick interlude of dancing, laughing, or whatever helps your child release tension.
“Movement does more than get the wiggles out,” Baicker concurs. “It boosts brainpower and helps with focus.”
4. Read With Your Child Every Night
It’s a misconception that when a child learns how to read, they’ll only want to read on their own. Not true! Reading together boosts literacy skills — even for elementary schoolers — and continues to foster a love of reading and discovery.
“As your child grows as a reader, grow with them,” says Miller. “Move into book series that are slightly above your child's reading level so you can have rich discussion, discover new words, build comprehension, and create mental images.”
The quality bonding time you’ll share during your nightly read-aloud is a reminder your child is never too old to be read to or read with!
Get ready for your child to go back to school with our guide — it's full of recommended books, teacher tips, strategies you can try if your child is struggling with homework, and more resources for starting the year off right.
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